Top 5 Onboarding Secret Weapons
Onboarding used to be merely an exercise in compliance and admin, designed to get new employees into the system. While those are important pieces, they are but a few components of successfully onboarding an engaged new hire who feels valued, integrated, and confident.
Great onboarding has the power to elevate the new hire experience, super charge their productivity, and make them feel like an invaluable part of the team. While poor onboarding can drive new hires to panic and scramble to look for a new job.
The real secret weapons of onboarding are:
1. Company Culture
Your new hire has read your company reviews online and gleaned as much as possible from the interview, but they still only have a scant notion of your company culture. Help them understand it by including a video during onboarding, actively talking about it, and inviting them to company traditions – such as monthly celebrations or volunteer events.
New hires can’t feel like part of the team until they understand the company culture, and onboarding is the perfect time to teach them about it.
2. Socialization
The nerves of starting a new role are very real, and one of the easiest ways to combat this is to mobilize your new hire’s social circle. Plan a team lunch, coordinate a mentor, and link the new hire up with an ‘onboarding buddy’ to help make them feel connected.
It’s best to inform them during the preboarding phase so they can look forward to these activities instead of wondering if they will be sitting alone during their first lunch.
3. Productivity
Intelligent onboarding engages new hires before their first day so that all compliance, benefit, and admin paperwork can be completed before they step foot in your office. It also ensures your new hire has everything they need to be productive from day one – from laptops to security clearance.
4. Expectations
Every new employee worries if they are doing enough, and to varying degrees, many new employees worry if they are enough when starting a new job. By weaving expectations into the onboarding process your new hire never has to wonder if they are on track – all the expectations are clearly laid out for them.
5. Values
Your company values and mission are at the heart of your organization. A company-wide, standardized onboarding program ensures that every new employee receives the same message about your mission and values.
Onboarding should be so much more than an exercise in compliance and administrative paperwork. Include these five elements in your onboarding program and watch your new hire retention and engagement soar.
